"Never again war!" Duda wrote on X. "The world needs peace today. Russian aggression in Ukraine, conflict in the Middle East, clashes between India and Pakistan—we are again living in dangerous times."
Duda reminded Poles that their nation was "the first victim of World War II," invaded by Nazi Germany and then the Soviet Union, costing nearly 6 million Polish lives.
He paid tribute to Polish soldiers who fought on all fronts of WWII, "from Narvik to Tobruk, from the Battle of Britain to Monte Cassino." He also honored "the heroism of the Home Army, Peasant Battalions" and 1944 Warsaw Uprising fighters.
“Today, in a free and sovereign Poland, we remember and draw lessons,” Duda said. “We are doing everything possible to ensure Poland’s strength and security – through our army’s might and through our alliances.”
He underlined Poland’s role as a “proven NATO member” and its “strategic partnership with the United States,” adding that Europe owes its security to US involvement both in World War II and during the Cold War.
“Therefore, we aim to deepen transatlantic ties," Duda declared. "These are not mere diplomatic gestures but concrete actions – to deter, not to yield, and to protect our security and that of future generations."
He concluded with a call to honor the fallen: “May the era of World War II, marked by immense suffering and heroism, be a warning and a summons: to uphold peace, build a world governed by the rule of law, not by the law of force. Glory to the Heroes! Eternal memory to the dead and the murdered!”
Eighty years ago, World War II in Europe ended when Germany unconditionally surrendered to the four Allied powers on May 8, 1945.
While the surrender ended six years of conflict, it did not free the continent from authoritarian rule, as much of Central and Eastern Europe fell under Soviet control for the next half-century.
(jh/gs)
Source: IAR, PAP